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Colorado Bureau of Investigation opens second investigation into former Fremont County Sheriff's Office Lt. Robert Dodd

Agency expected to look into evidence found at Phantom Landfill in Penrose

By Sara Knuth

The Daily Record

Posted:
06/09/2017 06:51:48 PM MDT

Timeline of Dodd investigation

Dec. 17, 2016: Evidence was discovered by Cañon City resident Rick Ratzlaff in a storage unit that had belonged to former FCSO Det. Robert Dodd. Ratzlaff obtained the storage unit after buying it in an auction. Evidence included a bloody rope, an ax and boxes of paperwork.

Jan. 14, 2017: The discovery of evidence is reported in the Daily Record and other news reports. At this time it is learned the Colorado Bureau of Investigations has become involved with the situation. FCSO Sheriff Jim Beicker states at this time the FCSO is cooperating completely with the investigation.

Jan. 16, 2017: FCSO Sheriff Jim Beicker holds a press conference at the Fremont County Jail. At this time Dodd was placed on routine administrative leave.

Jan. 19, 2017: The Daily Record submits a Colorado Open Records Act request to obtain a copy of Candace Hiltz's autopsy. Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller had previously stated to the Daily Record he could not release the autopsy as the case was still considered open. However, under CORA, autopsies have to be released unless their disclosure would cause, "substantial injury to the public interest."

Jan. 25, 2017: Candace Hiltz's autopsy is released, revealing Hiltz had been shot seven times, with three types of guns. The autopsy also showed she was shot from the front and back, and, "the paths of the bullets are steeply downward, back to front, and left to right."

Jan. 26, 2017: The Daily Record submits another CORA request, attempting to obtain any recording and/or transcript from the 911 calls made the day Candace Hiltz was killed.

Jan. 31, 2017: The FCSO denied the Daily Record's request for the 911 transcripts. In a letter from Fremont County Attorney Brenda Jackson, she states, "the Sheriff determined that disclosure of the records would contrary to the public interest, as the records are part of criminal justice investigatory files and are actively being reviewed by law enforcement agencies in connection with an investigation."

Robert Dodd

Feb. 2, 2017: A second CORA request is made, but for all police and incident reports made regarding the murder of Candace Hiltz.

Feb. 3, 2017: The second request is also denied, citing the same reason for the previous request.

April 23, 2017: Robert Dodd retires from the FCSO.

May 4, 2017: The District Attorney's Office files charges against Dodd, which include two counts of second-degree official misconduct and abuse of public records.

May 18, 2017: Additional evidence, allegedly belonging to Dodd, is discovered in a Penrose landfill.

"Accompanied by a friend, I drove to the landfill. As I reached the front gate, I tried to contact District Attorney Molly Chilson to alert her about the evidence. I got her cellphone voicemail and left a message," Harmon wrote, continuing later by writing she, Orton and her friend began collecting the evidence found.

Evidence found included a computer, an envelope marked 'evidence' that contained a DVD, a videotape labeled as containing a sexual assault investigation interview and a tackle box marked "FCSO Crime Scene Unit Forensic Lights."

June 6, 2017: Dodd does not appear for his first court date. His attorney, Randy Jorgensen, appears in court to set a date for a pretrial conference at 2:30 p.m. July 17.

June 8, 2017: Chilson tells other media that a second CBI investigation has been opened to look into the Penrose landfill evidence.

— Sarah Matott, Daily Record

A second investigation into former Fremont County Sheriff's Office Lt. Robert Dodd is expected to be led by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, District Attorney Molly Chilson told other media.

The investigation, which is set to look into apparent evidence found May 17 in Penrose's Phantom Landfill, comes on the heels of Dodd's first court date for a case surrounding evidence found in a storage locker that once belonged to him.

Chilson did not immediately respond Friday to an email seeking confirmation but told the Pueblo Chieftain that she asked the agency to look into the issue. A CBI spokeswoman was out of the office Friday but said she would look into the issue.

"We requested CBI's assistance with the landfill investigation, and they agreed to help, so that remains pending," Chilson said, according to the paper.

The new investigation is just the latest development in a case that started in December with the storage locker that belonged to Dodd. The locker, filled with evidence from the 2006 homicide of 17-year-old Candace Hiltz, was purchased by Cañon City resident Rick Ratzlaff, who found items that included a bloody rope, an ax and boxes of paperwork.

In May, more items apparently connected to Dodd were found by Phantom Landfill worker Robert Orton. Those items were an envelope filled with potential criminal investigation paperwork, a videotape with content about a sexual offense investigation and a computer.

After the initial CBI investigation was completed, Dodd was charged May 4 with two counts of second-degree official misconduct and abuse of public records. Dodd, who retired from the FCSO in April, did not appear for his first court date Tuesday.

However, his attorney, Randy Jorgensen, appeared to set a date for a pretrial conference, which will be at 2:30 p.m. July 17.

According to the complaint filed by Chilson, Dodd knowingly altered a public record between Dec. 25, 2016, and Dec. 30, 2016, even though he had not been authorized as a custodian. The details of what items were altered have not been disclosed.

The complaint also said that between Aug. 15, 2006, and Dec. 20, 2016, "Dodd, a public servant, unlawfully, knowingly, arbitrarily and capriciously refrained from performing a duty imposed upon him by law."

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